Father Knows Best began August 25, 1949 on the NBC Radio Network and starred Robert Young as loving but impatient father, Jim Anderson, who lives on a quiet suburban neighborhood with his levelheaded wife Margaret, drama queen daughter Betty, somewhat dim all American son Bud, and littlest daughter. Kathy, who always does the right thing at the wrong time.  The show ended on March 25, 1954 after 197 episodes.

 

In the television series, Robert Young played Father more as the giver of sage advice.  In this radio series, however, he is often exasperated by his family's handling of crises he's trying to fix caused by actions he inadvertantly creates. The result is in his making the situation even worse. The "Father Knows Best" in the radio series is clearly a contrary play on a phrase as father clearly doesn't know best.